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"A close-up, side-angle shot of a freshly baked loaf of banana bread on a wooden cutting board. The loaf features a golden-brown, glazed crust topped with caramelized banana slices. The front of the loaf is sliced, revealing a moist, dense interior. Two whole yellow bananas are blurred in the background."

The Best Moist Banana Bread Recipe

This moist banana bread has a golden crust, an ultra-soft crumb, and rich banana flavor from very overripe bananas. Toasted walnuts add a cozy crunch, while simple pantry ingredients make it easy to bake without a mixer.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 285
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana Bread
  • 3 large very ripe bananas black-spotted or fully black, mashed
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature or melted
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla flavoring use alcohol-free vanilla instead of standard vanilla extract
  • 1 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
  • 1/2 cup raisins optional

Equipment

  • 9x5 inch loaf pan
  • parchment paper
  • large mixing bowl
  • Fork
  • Rubber spatula
  • Dry skillet
  • Cutting Board
  • Wire Rack
  • Toothpick
  • Oven

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides for easy removal.
  2. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until golden and fragrant. Let them cool, then roughly chop.
  3. Mash the very ripe bananas in a large bowl with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine, and the mixture should look soft and slightly liquid.
  4. Add the butter to the mashed bananas and stir until combined. Mix in the sugar, beaten eggs, and alcohol-free vanilla flavoring until evenly incorporated.
  5. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the wet mixture and stir gently. Add the flour and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  6. Fold in the toasted walnuts and optional raisins with just a few gentle turns of the spatula. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, checking at the 55-minute mark with a toothpick. The bread is done when the toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets properly.

Notes

Use bananas that are very ripe, deeply spotted, or nearly black for the best sweetness and moisture.
For a more golden, slightly crunchy top crust, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of brown sugar over the batter before baking.
Do not open the oven during the first 40 minutes of baking, as a sudden temperature drop can cause the center to sink.
Store the cooled loaf tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze individual slices for up to 3 months.
For a healthier variation, replace the sugar with honey or maple syrup, use half whole wheat flour, and reduce the oven temperature slightly to prevent over-browning.